Prey
by Rachel McN
Summary: A young turtle-child is found by one who stalks the shadows. No longer a one-shot. Leo-centric.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** My first attempt at a supernatural themed ninja turtles fic. Was originally going to use my favourite turtle (Donnie) but somehow ended up writing Leonardo instead. Still not sure how that happened... Anyway. Oneshot. Methinks.*shrugs*

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><p>The water's surface was torn as a figure raced through the dank tunnels. A choked sob whispered past his lips. Echoes raced him through the darkness, whispered words he did not wish to hear.<p>

"Why run...? Where to...?"

Viciously shaking his head at answers he would not give. He couldn't let this...this _beast_ near his home.  
>Wishing his father would come looking; scared what may happen if he did.<br>"Run little terrapin; what a fine meal you'll make, so young and lithe..."

His heart froze over at the words, slipping on the wet ground. A short cry escaped him at the shock of the freezing water up his arms. Muffled by his startled hand, but too late.

"Tired? I can fix that..."

His head swung desperately, blurring eyes searching for escape. Staggering and scrambling, he forced his way into a dark hidey-hole, a blessing. Scrubbing at his eyes, he whispered quiet prayers; promising the humans God that he would do everything his sensei asked, that he would never fight with his brothers, that he would even give the humans back that lovely gold necklace he had found under a grate; if only He could find the time to spare for the gasping cornered turtle child.

Harsh grating laughter shocked him out of his prayers, sent him scrabbling back against the hard rock.

"God?" The voice hissed "He's never spared a thought for my other prey, why do you think he's going to care for a weak...pathetic...animal...?"

He shivers as the voice draws slowly closer, begs for strength and courage not to leave him be.

"You think hiding in darkness will help you? Silly, silly mortal."

A hand darts into his hiding space, latching onto his ankle, and he screams. Screams his fear, his panic and terror. Screams for help. He struggles to scream against the restraining hand covering his mouth. Until his lungs start screaming as well.

Thrashing in the creature's grip, he bites down hard, choking on the flowing blood.

He's dropped with a hiss, and then the sound of menace fills the air again.

The creature sounds amused as it licks its wound clean. Coughing up water, he struggles to crawl away from the nightmare. A sudden weight on his back forces him back down, and he kicks weakly as the creature bends down towards him, sharp teeth reflecting the few rays of sunlight that penetrate the dark pit.

_Please_, he whimpers quietly, _please_...

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><p>"Gimme. It. Now!"<p>

"No! It's mine!"

The old rat walked into the room, tail dragging, and ears drooping.

One day. That's all he asked for. One day without some sort of argument developing.

Dragging his paw down his snout, he mentally steeled himself against what was coming.

"Daaadddy! Raph stole my Zog!"

Splinter blinked wearily, eyeing the small triceratops toy in his second eldest's hand.

"Raphael..." he warned.

"Not my fault Mikey lost it! Finders keepers!"

"That may be, however – later Donatello," he acknowledged, swiping away the toddlers hand, "however, it is always better to _share_"  
>"But I don' wanna share!"<br>"_Raphael_"  
>"But-"<br>"No buts!"

He knew his tail was twitching, it was a warning sign to the toddlers who almost instantly froze.

He felt another tug at his robe, and glared down at the poor turtle.  
>"<em>Yes<em>, Donatello?"  
>The child gulped, and hesitated, throwing a quick glance in his siblings direction before speaking.<br>"I...we...Leo isn't back yet"

Back? From where? His young charges never left the lair without him.

The young turtle flinched under the gaze, but continued on.  
>"Raphie..." here, he paused, cowering away from the obvious fury his brother was directing on him. "Raphie dared him to leave the lair...he said Leo couldn't last alone without running home crying like a baby...Leo didn't like that..." The tot thought it best to leave out the fact that two turtles had left, and Raph had come running home within the first ten minutes. He knew his brother would make him pay for tattling, but he was really worried about Leo.<p>

Splinter closed his eyes, praying for patience.

"Very well, I shall go looking for Leonardo. And if anyone else leaves the lair while I am gone, you will have an hours extra training for a month, are we clear?"  
>The shocked toddlers nodded quickly, Donatello skittering away using his fathers exit as a chance to find a hiding spot from his brothers.<p>

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><p>Red seared his waning vision, as his body shivered uncontrollably. His weakening heart pushed to its maximum in order to feed the hunger of the creature. He could feel its thick sharp teeth digging into him, could feel it ripping his life from his pitiful grasp. He whimpered in the creeping cold, and the creature responded by driving its fangs deeper, hissing with excitement.<p>

He shuddered, whining, then quietly asked the only thing he could hope for, "soon...?"

"Soon..." the creature agreed, pressing down harder on him, "very, very soon."

The child gasped, his eyes flickering. He imagined hearing splashes, the sounds of a rescue; he imagined the creature in a hissing fit at the interruption, imagined it fleeing at the sound of an approach. He thought of his fathers warm arms around him and tried to recreate that.

The creature watched its prey, amused. It had taken all it could. The child would die, that much was obvious. But its mind seemed to be elsewhere. Yawning, the creatures own mind drifted, thinking of the day it was taken and turned, thinking of its screaming daughter, silenced in a single stroke. Its eyes slowly dimmed from blazing red to amber.

A scuffle nearby had its senses on high alert. Sniffing the air, it watched as a shadow drew closer. It heard the sharp intake of breath, sensed the new pulse racing. It heard the feral cry, and knew it for what it was. A parents loss.  
>It found itself struggling, scampering away from the attacks. Crouching nearby, it watched the newcomer cradle the child to its chest. It would be so easy to kill again. The parent would be no challenge, as grief-stricken as it was. And perhaps there was more. It could follow the scent back, see where the two had come from.<p>

It watched the child curl into the protective figure. Heard its heart slow, a beat at a time. It slunk away into the shadows.


	2. Meditation

**A/N:** Yeah...turns out it's not a one-shot ;3 What can I say? Well I can tell you I wasn't studying when I was supposed to, that's for sure ;)

So, we have a little bit of a time-jump with this one. And I'm going to try and keep with following our little turtle around so let's call the first chap a prologue, shall we? I have only the faintest of ideas where I'm going with this but the first few chapters willl be used for exploring the vampire concept and how Leo copes. Sorta. ^^

So, if you have any ideas or questions, feel free to drop me a line. I'm always up for a chat :D

Oh, and you can blame _AnimexoverCartoons _for this. I probaly wouldn't have continued this fic without their input. So it's all your fault _Anime_ xD And Leo wouldn't let me hijack the fic. So it's definitly a Leo-centric peice, for now at least. Anyway, enjoy ^^

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><p>Meditation has many purposes, many uses.<p>

It can help calm a racing mind, slow a frantic pulse. It can expand and control the senses.

To a starving predator, surrounded by potential prey, meditation is invaluable. It can curb the urge to pounce. It can subtly steer the mind from unwanted, dangerous thoughts towards safer ideals.

Simply put, meditation is an excellent asset for this particular predator. The tempting prey currently prancing in front of him however, has yet to understand this.

"_Come ooonnn, just one game!"_

The high-pitched whine grates against his hearing. Muscles tense as the precious calm slips from his grasp and he can feel a snarl building in his chest.

"_All you do is sit there_."  
>Eyes narrow and the scent fills his being.<br>"_You haven't played lair tag in a week._"  
>Gradually, the soft slow beat of a reptilian heart reaches his ears as he focuses his attention.<p>

"Leonardo!"  
>The authoritive voice flows over him and he loses the sound of his prey at the distraction.<br>"Michaelangelo! Your brother is still recovering and needs his rest, stop disturbing him!"  
>"But, father-"<br>"Out!"

He watches as the prey scuttles away, disappointed by the loss of his meal. His head twists to observe the newcomer and the sound of thunder echoes through his mind. The mammalian heart races, the rat is agitated.

He watches, silently, at its approach. The rat kneels beside him and he obediently climbs onto its lap. A moment of hesitation. And then an arm is offered. He crows in pleasure at the offering, small hands wrapping round the large furry limb. He chews air for a fraction of time, willing his newly developed fangs to spring forth. At the feeling of movement in his mouth, he flicks a coat of saliva over the roof of his mouth, coaxing his still-developing poison glands to close over.

Careful not to move too quickly, lest his prize be taken away, he slips his fangs into the soft flesh and immediately begins lapping the flowing blood that pours forth.

The liquid slips down his throat, the colour staining his teeth. Excited by the taste he draws faster, pressing down harder onto the warm arm before him.

A hiss of pain whispers from behind him and his prize is swiftly removed.

He gasps as the arm slides away, his fangs lifting clear of the fresh wound. Blinking, disoriented by the loss of a meal, he licks his lips, savouring the last drops of thrumming liquid.

He relaxes back into his companion, sated and at peace. The warm, furry arm curves back around, no longer as an offering of blood, but of comfort. Snuggling into his make-do pillow he breathes deeply. The scent that fills his nostrils speaks of safety, of assurance. Of home.


End file.
